Beauty Tech is a huge space that hasn’t been explored much. L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator has teamed up with Fuseproject to develop two UV wearable sensors, aiming to make sunbathing healthier for people.

A ‘UV wearable’ is a stick-on sensor that tracks sun exposure, lowering the risk of skin cancer by raising personal awareness around how much sun is too much. L’Oreal’s technology incubator teamed up with Fuseproject to create the first product, My UV Patch launched in 2016. Now the next product is being launched, called UV Sense. UV Sense is the world’s first battery-free UV wearable, connecting to an app where personalised information and advice on sun exposure can be easily accessed.

My UV Patch is comprised of a series of tiles with photoreactive dyes that respond to UV rays, set against neutral reference points. Fuseproject was challenged to design a patch that followed these technical constrains, while designing new styles as body ornaments. By challenging the technical elements and shrinking them, we developed an aesthetic that could be directed into any number of stylistic collections. Working around the hand, arm, and wrist, we established a core collection that truly marries fashion with function; the My UV Patch redesign is sophisticated and discreet, a take on modern jewelry, with bold architecture and tonality.

UV Sense is an even smaller, dome-based sensor, that fits directly on a thumbnail, or an accessory like sunglasses. Subtle patterns laid directly over the outer shell create playful and iconic expressions similar to nail-art, with clear versions for those who prefer simplicity. A miniscule window in the shell allows for light to enter; data collected and stored is then transferred directly to the mobile app through an NFC chip